For two years Shay Daniels has been stuck in the past—stuck in a pain so deeply overwhelming that she constantly feels as if she's drowning. A chance meeting gives her her first breath of fresh air, but it could be her final downfall. He's stuck wondering what could have been—letting the pain of everything he's lost simmer within his broken heart. She's the first thing that has made him feel like himself again in years. He might be able to love her—he wants to—if he could only manage to live in the present. Devastating pasts. Uncertain futures. Life is supposed to move forward, but what if all it does is revolve in a heartbreaking circle? What if every step you take toward making yourself whole again only leads you closer to another beautiful catastrophe?

“No,” he mutters, finally looking up at me. “You look sad. You might be throwin’ punches fueled by anger but your face looks sadder than hell. I’ve never dealt with you sad, Shay, I’m not sure I know how.”

“I’ve always been sad,” I whisper, admitting something I hate about myself.

“Okay … but it’s never been like this.”

I walk away without saying anything and make my way to an open mat. I flex my feet, stretching my ankles as he walks up silently beside me and slides his hands into a pair of punch mitts. After a few minutes of him questioning me between hits and me not answering, he shakes his head.

“What the hell did this guy do to you, Shay?” I grind my teeth, and when I don’t answer, he blocks my hit and smacks me upside the head with a mitt.

“I need you to hit me back,” I bite out. “That’s the only way this works for me.”

“Hit me back,” I scream, squeezing my fists tightly on either side of my head. My voice echoes off the walls around me and the desperation that fills it hits my ears. The gym goes silent around us, and for the first time today, I see another form of emotion in August’s face other than irritation—anger.

“Is that what you need?” he yells back, throwing his gear to the floor as a crowd of people begins to gather around us. “You need to be hit back? You want to be hurt? Too damn bad, Shay. You want to train? That’s one thing, but I’m not going to hit you so you can feel somethin’ other than the emotional pain you’re in right now.”

I lower my head, glaring at him. When he doesn’t budge, I storm toward the locker room. I slam the door back against the wall, thankful the room is currently empty.

Hauling back, I hit a locker, leaving a large dent in the door and scream out my frustration. August steps into the room behind me. I don’t even have to see him to know who it is—his presence fills the room. Turning, I stare as he kicks the door closed behind him and stands in silence—the only sound hitting my ears is my harsh breathing.

“I hate you,” I bite out.

“Liar.”

Trailer

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmPpLtrF8D8]

Katheryn was born in Maine and still resides there with her asshole dog. Growing up, she was the only girl out of five children. Out of four loving, but hard-assed, brothers, she has been set on fire TWICE, shot at, left her with a burning car and a five gallon container of gas, scared out of her mind every time they got behind the wheel, and has enough hilarious stories and amazing memories to fill a million books. It made her independent and every female character she writes reflects strength and independence. Katheryn books are full of page turning suspense, humor, and enough steam to overheat your e-reader. "There are no weak women, just weak moments."